Up and Down
by Senile-felineS
Summary: The course of true love never did run smooth. Kyouya and Haruhi have been forced to separate. Short-fics, one-shots, drabbles and everything in between exploring this Universe. Initial chapters are sort of stand alone, but it became a standard multichap story.
1. Six Song Drabble Challenge

**A/N: I was sort of inspired to write this by some of the song challenges that I read from this fandom. In case you don't already know, the basic idea is put your music on shuffle and write drabbles for the first six songs that come up, stop when you get to the end of that song. I know it is kind of cheating, but I noticed after I had written them that, if reordered, they could sort of connect to one another. So I did that. Now, without further ado:**

**Dirty Little Secret – All American Rejects**

It was his little secret, the feelings that he had developed for the special student. Maybe one day he would have the strength to do something about it, but for now he was simply content to watch her from his corner. Following her movements from the edge of his vision when he was supposed to be tracking stocks or finances or, even more rarely, hosting one of the stupid rich girls who presented enough merit to warrant his personal attention.

He was a master of keeping such things hidden. So many little secrets that you would need to be a master of self-control to keep them all that way. Good thing that he was such an expert at this, not even Tamaki suspected that the true focus of his partiality was that blunt first year with the large eyes and ambition that could be said to match his own.

**First date – Danko Jones**

On their first date Kyouya pulled out all of the stops in order to impress the girl who had branded them all as rich bastards. He wasn't specifically hoping for anything in exchange. Or at least that was what he told her. He was, after all, a teenage boy, despite what certain idiots might say, and he had urges.

And she just looked so sweet sitting there, with her back uncomfortably straight, as far away from him as the close confines of the limo would allow. Staring out of the window to pretend that she couldn't see how his intense stare was fixed on her and only her. Even his ever present laptop sitting forgotten on his knees.

They reached the door of her apartment and she turned, a faint blush covering her cheeks, adding exponentially to her charm. He rather liked having the power to make that happen. She opened the door a little but just stood staring at him, matching glance for glance. "Ano… Kyouya-sempai… I had a nice night. Thank you." And then she did something completely unexpected, she stretched up and kissed him on the cheek. Before he had time to respond, she had slipped inside and shut the door.

**Only the Good Die Young – Billy Joel**

They had been dating for a while when Kyouya first broached the topic of taking their relationship to the next level. They were, by no means, physically uninvolved. But he had his desires and you couldn't blame a boy for trying.

"No Kyouya," Haruhi said as she pried his hands away from the top button of her shirt, His own was already lying discarded on the floor and that was fine with both of them, but this was different, at least as far as she was concerned. "Kyouya… Kyouya, you know I want to wait." This time she fully broke away from him. His response was to duck his head and move onto her neck just above her collar, kissing up and down the sensitive line formed by her tendons. "I know Haruhi, but you know… there are levels in between. And besides, it is only the good that die young."

**Hallelujah – Rufus Wainwright**

Kyouya raised his head from where he had been focused on the endless spreadsheets as he felt the gentle touch of small hands to his shoulders. He knew from past experience that it would be impossible to focus on his work while she was touching him, and so he no longer even tried. It was maddening, and it might make him sound like a stupid romantic when he said it, but it was enough to give him faith in god. That this girl trusted him and stayed with him. Loved him even when he was at his most moody and sleep deprived.

Scratch that, it didn't make him sound like a romantic, it made him sound like that idiot host club king. His best friend and greatest annoyance. He made a note to nip any such foolishness in the bud from now on. It was most unbecoming.

But she had this effect on him. She was the only person who could make him beg, the only one who had ever seen him so weak. Every smallest thing they did together was, in itself, an act of worship.

**Swallowed up by the Ocean – Billy Talent**

At first, Haruhi blamed herself for the break up. They should have been together forever, it was what they promised. She though that it must have been something that she did. But then she saw how quickly he became engaged to some rich girl from a powerful family. One with all of the right connections and the correct pedigree to marry an Ootori. And she started to hate him.

Now she had done her crying, and she was beginning to emerge whole from the other side of her torn apart life. She could cross her arms and pretend that she didn't care about any of it. Pretend that she didn't still cry at night, when she missed him the most.

He had left her life in a devastated mess, and at times it still felt like she was drowning. Disappearing beneath the weight of her sorrow.

**Roses are Dead – The Cavalier**

Since the breakup with his beloved Haruhi, Kyouya had been miserable. Not that he could tell anyone that. Especially now that he had a family approved fiancée. He had done all of this at his father's orders. Driven the knife deep to give Haruhi a clean break, but he hadn't realised just how deep he was stabbing his own heart.

Now all of the world looked like it was covered with a pall of darkness and the flowers all seemed dead, withering around him. He hadn't been able to save the relationship, due to his own ambition to prove himself to his father, and now he would never see the light again.

**A/N: Please review and let me know what you think. This sort of quick fire writing is not normally something I do, so constructive criticism is especially appreciated. Also, I know this kind of ended dark, I'm already working on a follow up sing-fic one shot that might bring the mood up a little, so stay tuned for that. Oh, and I don't own Ouran High School Host Club or any of the songs mentioned here, if I did I wouldn't be skint right now.**


	2. The Winner Takes It All

**Winner takes it all**

**A/N: I promised to post this ages ago, but things happened and I didn't. So here it is, a songfic sequel to Up and Down. I hope you enjoy it, and maybe feel led to leave a review. It would make me very happy.**

**The song is Winner Takes It All by ABBA. I know that it is a very old song, but it just kind of spoke to the idea for this story. What I am saying is that I don't own the song, I wasn't even alive when it was written. I also do not own OHSHC, or any of the recognised characters in this story.**

_I don't wanna talk, about things we've gone through._

_Though it's hurting me, now it's history._

Haruhi looked up from the box that she had been buried in when her phone buzzed. 'What now' she thought as she picked it up. The caller image was of a stupidly grinning Tamaki, one hand resting on Antoinette and the other displaying the peace sign.

"Moshi moshi"

"Haruhi, it's daddy." The voice sounded just as excitable as ever. Haruhi pulled the phone a little way from her ear to prevent being deafened by his shouting.

She sighed, "I know that Tamaki, I have called ID like everyone else."

"Oh, my daughter is angry with me. What ever happened, daddy is sorry."

"I am not angry with you specifically, sempai. I'm just busy and would appreciate it if you would cut to the chase."

"Does a daddy need a reason to call his daughter when she has had her heart broken?" He spoke more quietly, but Haruhi wouldn't be much of a lawyer (in training) if she couldn't tell when someone was bluffing.

"Tamaki, I thought this 'daddy-daughter' nonsense would end when we both graduated. Now tell me what you want so that I can get back to unpacking." She felt it was best to end that particular train of conversation. She did not want to talk about Kyouya, especially to his best friend.

Tamaki's voice sounded smaller after being told off so sharply, "Well, you see, I am planning a get together. A host club reunion, please come?"

"No!" she interrupted him before he could give any more details.

"But Haruhiiii," he stretched her name into a whine.

"No! I am not going."

"It won't be the same without you there."

"No!"

"And there will be cake and you can have otoro and…"

"Tamaki, you cannot bribe me with sushi. I am not interested." As much as she like the stuff, it just was not a big enough bribe to face Kyouya on her own. Not while his abandonment was still so raw.

"But but…"

"I am going to hang up now Tamaki. Good bye." Without waiting for a reply, she matched the action to the words and snapped her phone shut. She put it down and returned to unpacking her kitchen.

She was just beginning to get back into the rhythm when her phone went off again. She bit down on the string of choice expletives when she saw the same picture as before. He is either really desperate or really persistent, or both, she thought as she pressed the red button to send the call straight to voice mail.

This process repeated itself four more times, on the fifth she barely looked, and was getting ready to cancel the call, when she noticed that the picture was different. This time it was Huni cuddling up to his Usa-chan and looking almost ridiculously cute surrounded by the cartoon flowers that Kaoru had photoshopped in.

She flipped the phone open and held it between her shoulder and head, continuing to organise her pots and pans.

"Huni, if you have called to…"

"Haru-chan!" he cut her off, "Tama-chan said you aren't coming to the reunion. Don't you love us anymore Haru-chan?" Tears were beginning to burble in his voice.

Haruhi sighed, "you are not being fair Huni. You know why I don't want to go." She shouldn't need to spell it out to them.

"But if you come we can eat cakes together, you, me and Takashi and… and I'll even let you have my strawberry!" He said that last part as if it was very hard for him to do. "And you can hold Usa-chan all night, he will protect you, ne Haru-chan."

As sweet as the older man was being, Haruhi didn't think that a stuffed pink rabbit would be enough to keep her steady the entire evening. She said as much and was about to ring off when Huni said "hang on Haru-chan, Takashi wants to talk to you."

Haruhi huffed, but couldn't respond further before there was a scuffling and the deep familiar voice was carried to her. "Hello?"

"Mori?"

"Ah."

"What did you want to say?" As much as she liked her tall former-sempai, she was beginning to find it a strain to keep the irritation out of her tone.

"I'll protect you. From everyone."

"Really?" She was caught off guard by how quickly this man that she had not seen in months had penetrated right to the core of her misgivings.

"Ah."

From anyone else, Haruhi would have needed more assurance, but she knew Mori. His words were few and far between, but they were carefully chosen and, unlike those of someone else she could name, could be relied upon.

While she thought this there was another scuffle and Huni's voice came back. "So will you come Haru-chan? Everyone wants to see you. We miss you. You'll be perfectly safe with us." His tone had changed and she knew that he was making his own promise to protect her. She was beginning to teeter on the brink of indecision, maybe it would be better just to go and get it over with.

_I've played all my cards and that's what you've done to._

_Nothing more to say. No more ace to play._

"Okay fine Huni, I'll do it." She let out a laugh that was edged with bitterness.

"Yay Haru-chan! We'll be there to pick you up at seven tomorrow evening! 'Kay bye"

Before Haruhi could respond, her ear was filled with a dialling tone. She sighed, 'Okasan, what have I gotten myself into?'

_I was a fool, playing by the rules._

Haruhi stood in front of her mirror, examining her appearance yet again. She had done something today that she would never have believed herself capable of. She had tried on and discarded several outfits before landing on this deep blue dress that she didn't remember getting.

She had never generally cared about clothes but tonight was different. Tonight was the first night she would see any of them since she had moved out of Kyouya's home. Tonight she would need to pretend that she had everything together and that she was doing just fine. If she wore tracksuit pants and a jersey she might as well go all the way and paste a sign on her forehead that read 'I'm heading for a breakdown.' And she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing how well he had destroyed her.

_The winner takes it all, the loser standing small._

_Beside the victory, that's our destiny._

It had been a hard day for her. She had fluctuated on her decision at least three times every hour. But two anxiety attacks and five snotty tissues later she was finally ready. She wasn't calm, not really, but she had enough dignity left to fake composure and that would have to get her through.

She ran her brush through her hair yet again and once more changed her mind about the clips with the little blue flowers on them, sliding them back into her hair and fastening them into place.

Before she could agonise any further she heard her phone buzz, saw Huni's picture, grabbed her phone and her purse together and left her apartment; walking down the seven flights of stairs to get to the lobby.

Parked at the curb she could see some sort of sports car that looked completely out of place in her neighbourhood and which she could only assume was to be her ride. When she got closer she could see Huni and Usa-chan pressed up against the front passenger window, Huni waved excitedly the reached over and popped the back door for her. "Get in Haru-chan."

Haruhi took a couple of seconds to get her bearings before exclaiming in shock, "Mori, you drive?"

"Ah," was his only reply as he pulled away from the traffic.

"He learned because I like sitting in front; it's fun." the little blond all but squeaked. Then he paused and studied her, "wah Haru-chan, you look so cute. Doesn't she look cute Takashi?"

"Ah," Mori expertly overtook a slower car.

"Thank you, uh… you look good too." Huni's dark suit was expertly cut, even she could see that, and he would have looked dapper were it not for his tie which featured pink bunnies dancing across it.

Mori looked far more regular, in charcoal-grey slacks and a maroon button-down that could not hide how well muscled he was. There was a time when she would have felt guilty for noticing such a thing, but being dumped came with few enough perks that she was going to enjoy what she could.

The rest of the ride was filled with Huni's chattering to which Haruhi gave the occasional monosyllabic response. She was thankful for it, as it provided distracting background noise and kept her from thinking too much.

Too soon they turned off the road and through some big gates, driving up the sweeping driveway of the second Suoh mansion. They parked by the door and attendants sprung forward to open the doors.

_I apologise, if it makes you feel bad. _

_Seeing me so tense, no self-confidence._

'Okay' Haruhi thought, 'deep breaths, one two, you can do this.' This mantra continued as she entered the mansion with Huni on one side and Mori on the other. It continued as they were lead through the house, and at the door of the receiving room it stopped, replaced by one phrase: 'it's now or never.'

The doors were thrown open and their names were announced with all the pomp that only Tamaki could think was a good idea, given that this was such a small gathering and they all knew one another.

Well, almost all. There were two unfamiliar faces, one was a woman with blonde hair and a gentle expression that Haruhi instantly guessed was Tamaki's mother. The other…

"Haruhi!" She felt herself suddenly sideswiped and lifted by a certain blond idiot who swung her around by her arms once before pulling her into a crushing embrace. "Daddy has missed his cute daughter!"

She struggled against the hold. "Tama-ki, can't – breathe. Let – go."

After one last tussle he held the girl back at arm's length and looked at her. "Haruhi," he said, suddenly serious, "have you been eating enough? Daddy's worried about you."

"We have spoken about this Tamaki," Haruhi gave him her version of the Shadow King Glare, "you are _not_ my father." Tamaki's face cracked and he practically vanished, reappearing in a corner that bore the signs of past mushroom crops. He promptly started on another one, mattering that Haruhi was being 'mean' to 'daddy'

Before Haruhi could regain any semblance of composure the twins, who had obviously been lying in wait for Tamaki to find his corner, glomped her in unison. "Ha-ru-hi, don't worry. We'll protect you from that nasty pervy tono."

Haruhi found it much harder to free herself from two than from one and she threw a desperate glance over to Mori. He stood up without saying anything and placed a flat hand on each of the twin's heads, pushing until they were forced to release her, which they did, or risk genuinely damaging their arms.

"Thank you Mori" she said gratefully. The stoic man just smiled and went to sit down, dragging the twins with him by their jackets.

Haruhi took a deep breath, brushed her skirt to straighten it, and turned around. Her eyes immediately lighted on the one member of the former host club that she had yet to greet. "Ohayo Kyouya" she said in the best calm-voice she could muster.

_Somewhere deep inside, you must know I miss you._

_But what can I say, rules must be obeyed._

Kyouya had been working before she arrived. His fingers never still on the keys of his laptop. Part of him had dared to hope that he would not have to see her, that he would not have to sit through an evening of polite conversation and convincing acts when all he wanted to do was pull her into his arms. Another part of him, the treacherous part that he had thought was well under control, had been disappointed with every five minutes that passed without her presence.

The second her name was announced (seriously?) he had stopped typing and looked up. Before he could do more than notice her dress she had been attacked and his first instinct, one which he needed to crush, had been to go to her protection like he would have done before.

On the topic of that dress, was she trying to torture him? He would have recognised it anywhere, it was the dress he had bought her to wear to his father's sixtieth birthday nearly two years ago. He had thought she looked particularly breath-taking in it. Not that she didn't look better out of it…

'No, stop, don't go there Kyouya.' Those were not memories he could entertain now. Not when Kamiko was sitting next to him, her arm draped across his shoulders in casual possessiveness.

He had watched her the entire time but when she turned around, despite her unruffled tone, he could see that Tamaki had been correct, she looked strained and tired. Had she not been sleeping? Was she working herself too hard?

He voiced none of these questions, he had no right to ask her such things anymore. Instead he settled for what he knew he could do, as much as he didn't want to do it.

"Haruhi, this is Miyamoto Kamiko, my… fiancée." The pause was infinitesimal, but he still couldn't stop it happening completely. He still had not made his peace.

_Does she kiss, like I used to kiss you?_

_Does it feel the same, when she calls your name?_

She should have anticipated it, but hearing the words fall from Kyouya's lips so smoothly still felt like a blow. But after a moment her old Natural instincts kicked in and she dropped a small bow to the woman. "Hajinimashite Miyamoto-san."

Even if she had not been the cause of Haruhi's broken heart, Haruhi would have taken an instant dislike to this woman. She was wearing a black dress that looked like it was held on by double sided tape and the grace of God and her eyes were an unnatural ice-blue that could only come from contact lenses.

She had a glib little smile on her lips as she stretched out a hand lazily "a pleasure Haruhi-san, or should that be -kun? I've heard so much about you." Her voice was staccato, soprano like Huni's but lacking any of his good nature.

Haruhi couldn't stand looking at this woman, much less talking to her, so rather than rising to the bait, she turned to the other woman. "Am I correct in thinking that you are Tamaki's mother?"

"Indeed I am, Anne-Sophie." She held out a hand with a more genuine smile, her speech was strangely accented. "I too have heard much about you from René."

"René?" Haruhi tilted her head to the side in confusion (Kyouya had to stifle a smile at the adorable expression) Ha

Anne-Sophie smiled and indicated her fungiculturist son with one finger. Then she patted the seat beside her, finally inviting Haruhi to sit, which she did gratefully. "Now tell me, how did a girl come to join the host club?"

_I don't wanna talk, if it makes you feel sad._

_And I understand, you've come to shake my hand._

Kyouya had to work twice as hard to make it look like he was working at all. The entire time that he was typing up the report for next Monday's meeting he was also listening to Haruhi tell stories, minus a few pertinent details, to Tamaki's mother.

She stopped when she came to graduation. Did she not want to say it out loud? Not tell the story of when they had made their relationship official? Perhaps it was for the best, he had told the minimum possible to Kamiko.

He watched as Haruhi excused herself, claiming that she needed some air. He covertly kept her in sight as she disappeared behind the curtains that partitioned off the balcony. He returned to his work, thinking that maybe it would be easier without the distraction. He had been wrong.

He survived maybe another three minutes, 'oh fuck it' he thought 'if I am going to be weak, I might as well be weak and happy.' He muttered something to Kamiko about going outside to smoke, closed his laptop and followed Haruhi out.

He hadn't been lying and the first thing he did when he was on the balcony was to pull out his pack of cigarettes and lighter. Haruhi was leaning against the balustrade staring out at the night, the moon was almost full and it illuminated her with an ethereal nimbus of light. She didn't show any sign of hearing him.

"Lovely night, isn't it?" He asked with feigned casualness.

She started and turned to face him, "what are you doing out here Kyouya?"

His name, in her quiet voice, made him shiver. He was thankful that the night was cold and so she would likely attribute his slip to that. He took a drag, exhaling in a puff. "Isn't it obvious?" He couldn't take the distance between them, it made her look illusory, and so he moved to close it, standing next to her.

"When did you start smoking?" There was something under the question that sounded like irritation.

"A little over a month ago." He stated matter-of-factly, he wasn't going to tell her that he had started exactly five days after he had been forced to leave her.

"Well, it's a disgusting habit." She stated at the same moment that she snatched the offending object from between his fingers and threw it into the garden.

Kyouya was more amused than annoyed at her pettish behaviour. He flashed a slight, crooked smile. "You shouldn't do that you know, what if it started a fire?"

She had her hands perched on her hips, inadvertently drawing his eyes down "I don't care, they could put it out with the sprinklers.

Kyouya tutted in response. He couldn't trust himself to speak right at this second. It had been a mistake to stand so close. He should just go inside right now, cut his losses. But he couldn't bring himself to.

It would be like telling someone who had just been released from prison that they should go back because it was safer there.

He lit up another cigarette, mostly to give himself something to do. Drawing the smoke deep into his lungs and then exhaling to the side to prevent it clouding into Haruhi's charmingly outraged face. She lunged forward to grab this one too, but he was ready for her. He lifted it out of reach and caught her wrist in a vicelike grip. "I wouldn't" his voice was husky and raw and she was suddenly as aware as he had been of just how close together they were standing.

He dropped the cigarette and crushed it underfoot.

He closed his eyes and made a soft noise, somewhere in between a growl and a groan. It caught Haruhi off guard, "Kyouya?" she asked.

His name again, his brittle self-control finally snapped.

"Kyou – mmph?" her repetition was smothered by his lips.

_The game is on again, a lover or a friend._

There was nothing gentle about this kiss, it was aggressive, demanding, desperate. And as much as she might try to fight it, it made Haruhi lose her head. She wrapped her arms around her neck and stood on her toes to get closer.

Neither of them noticed that Tamaki and his mother had started to play duets.

He lifted her as if she weighed nothing and perched her on the guard-rail, stoking down her legs, wanting her to wrap them around his waist. When she bit his lower lip teasingly he responded by touching his tongue to hers, revelling in the sweetness that he had never thought to taste again.

They were so completely absorbed by one another that they began to forget where they even were. Kyouya was beginning to get frustrated with the way her dress bunched up and formed a barrier between them. Blindly he fumbled with the zip, releasing it a little and ran his hand over the naked skin of her back.

Unfortunately for him this had the opposite effect from what he had desired. The draft distracted Haruhi long enough for her to snap back to her senses. She pressed against his chest to try get some distance, but he did not understand. He thought she was trying to get to his shirt buttons, he let go of her wrist to make it easier for her. Though he still did not break away.

Haruhi placed her hands on either side of his face and pulled away from him. "What you do to me," he muttered, his eyes still closed, and began kissing a line from the corner of her mouth, up her cheek, and towards her ear.

"What are you doing?" Her voice was breathless.

He smiled mischievously, he had probably smiled more in the last few minutes than in the last month put together. "I would have thought that was perfectly obvious." He leaned forward again but this time Haruhi placed her hand over his mouth and held him at bay.

"You know what I meant. Why this, why now? Your _fiancée_," her intonation made the word sound like a curse, "is right on the other side of that door."

He pulled her hand away, but held on to it. "I don't care," his voice was soft but vehement.

"You bastard!" With a sharp tug she freed her hand, forming it into a fist at her side. "What do you care about? You left me without a thought, and now you decide you want me back? It doesn't work that way!"

She slipped off the balustrade and ducked under his arm, escaping inside before he could recover enough to say anything in response. She was only half right, of course, it had nearly killed him to leave her and it got harder to stay away every day. But how was he supposed to say that? How could he tell her that letting her go had been difficult, that allowing it to happen a second time was worse?

He lit up again, taking a deep puff and dropping his head back as he exhaled.

She was gone again.

'What a royal fuck up.'

**A/N: So I have decided to turn this into a collection of one-shots and whatnot all happening in the same universe. **

**Also, I just wanted to say, I was a little sad that the first part didn't get a single review. I am not the type of writer to hold a story to ransom until I get reviews; but when I get readers and none of them bother to review it is a little disheartening. I write fanfic to improve and to get anonymous review, and that flashfic was hard for me to write, I really wanted people's opinions of it. So please review and tell me what you think.**


	3. The Shrine

The Shrine

**A/N: So I am all inspired and whatnot, which means that I am going to be writing this little introspective piece and posting it all for your enjoyment. Two things in one day, that's a record for me. I really hope you guys like it and that if you like it you drop me a review.**

Haruhi, age seventeen, opened the wooden doors and knelt before the shrine. Lighting a stick of incense and taking a deep breath.

"Mother, I need to talk to you. It's about Kyouya-sempai; I told you about him right? Well, he asked me out. What do you think? Should I agree?"

She must have been talking louder than she realised, for she was interrupted by her father's voice chiming from his bedroom. "Say yes baby!"

"I'm not talking to you now dad, you already gave your opinion!" Haruhi sighed, rolled her eyes at her mother's photograph with an indulgent smile at her father's antics.

She shut the doors.

_¿?¿?¿?¿?_

Haruhi, age seventeen, opened the wooden doors and knelt before the shrine. Lighting a stick of incense and taking a deep breath.

"Mother, Kyouya said he loved me last night. He seemed a little bit upset that I wouldn't say it back. I mean, I like him a lot and I really enjoy spending time with him. But I take love seriously. What should I do?"

She sighed and shut the doors.

_¿?¿?¿?¿?_

Haruhi, age eighteen, opened the wooden doors and knelt before the shrine. Lighting a stick of incense and taking a deep breath.

"Mother, would you believe it, I'm graduating next week. And boy has Kyouya talked me into one hell of a plan. He seems to think that Tamaki-sempai's party after the ceremony will be a good time to reveal that we've been dating.

"I wonder who is going to punch him first."

She chuckled and shut the doors.

_¿?¿?¿?¿?_

Haruhi, age nineteen, opened the wooden doors and knelt before the shrine. Lighting a stick of incense and taking a deep breath.

"Mother, what the hell am I going to do?" She paused, trying to decide how she was going to bring up this topic. It was uncomfortable even when just talking to a photograph.

"Kyouya keeps talking about having sex, specifically with me. I always said I wanted to wait, but when we're together, somehow I can't quite hold onto that idea, and he says that there are levels in between and that he would be happy with that and…"

She broke off her ramble suddenly, remembering who she was talking to."

"What would you do, mother?"

She sighed and shut the doors.

_¿?¿?¿?¿?_

Haruhi, age nineteen, opened the wooden doors and knelt before the shrine. Lighting a stick of incense and taking a deep breath.

"Mother, how do you like your new home?" She adjusted the frame slightly so that it was more in the centre. "I was kind of surprised that dad was okay with me moving in with Kyouya. It was almost like he was expecting it to happen before I brought it up. I got all worked up over nothing."

She chuckled and shut the doors.

_¿?¿?¿?¿?_

Haruhi, age twenty, opened the wooden doors and knelt down. She picked up a rectangular object wrapped in bubble-wrap. Freeing it she set the photograph on the shelf.

"Mother, how could I let this happen? I should have known that this was too good to last?" She rubbed her eyes, they simply refused to stay dry.

"She's an heiress, so I hear. The heiress to the Miyamoto Zaibatsu, it's a smart match I'm sure." Her face scrunched up and she took several huffing breaths to calm down. It didn't work, not really.

"Mother, I don't know what to do, I don't know how to…" She broke off.

"What am I going to do?" She wiped her eyes and cheeks with an already wrinkled tissue.

She shut the doors.

**A/N: I know this was kind of repetitive, and normally I hate that sort of thing, but I decided to play with it here to set up a sort of motif. How do you think I did? I have another songfic in mind, in addition to this, but that will take me longer to write and post. In the mean time I hope that you liked this thing.**


	4. World Comes Down

**A/N: Gees, how long ago did I promise this? Too long ago either way. Unfortunately real life interfered with my ability to write. But I am back now so please enjoy this next instalment and please review.**

**This isn't a songfic, as I said it would be. I wanted to use another ABBA song, SOS, but upon listening to it I realised that it actually didn't dovetail well, so this will just be a straight fic. That said, it is sort of inspired by Mona Lisa by All American Rejects, and that is where I got the title from; to put it in context it takes place about a week after Winner Takes It All.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own OHSHC, I do not own any of the original characters. I do own Miyamoto Kamiko. As much as anyone can own that archetype, anyway.**

World Comes Down

Kyouya leaned back against the couch cushions with a sigh, pacing the cold glass of whiskey against his temple, hoping it would help soothe the headache that he could feel blooming behind his eyes. He was tired in more ways than one and he didn't know how to deal with it.

The universe must have been heaping on the punishment more than normal tonight, for before his thoughts could go any further than that, the door opened with a snap and Kamiko walked in. Looking about as content as that woman ever did.

He jumped slightly in surprise and snapped his laptop shut, not having the time to close the document that would have given way to much away where she to see it. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she sashed in and perched herself next to him on the couch.

"Were you looking at something that you shouldn't be?" she asked in a sing-song voice. "Something perverted perhaps?"

"Not at all." he responded smoothly, choosing to answer only the second question. She had no idea how close to the mark she had come, before swinging off in the wrong direction. He had simply been reviewing certain documents and updating them with new information that hurt more than he could have imagined it would.

"You look tired," she said, placing her hands on his shoulders and kneading them with her thumbs. He stiffened a fraction at the contact, but not enough for her to notice. Those were not the hands he wanted.

Before he could snap at her and ruin his entire cool façade, Kyouya stood up. "If you will excuse me, I still have business to attend to." When Haruhi and he had still been together, they had shared an office. She was a diligent worker and did not unduly distract him provided he couldn't see her. Kamiko on the other hand had been all but banned from his office. She seemed to feel the need to fill any silence with chatter about nothings.

It made sense, in a way. She had never been expected to be more than passably intelligent. She was of a group that expected to be, and indeed were, married off young. They were supposed to be attractive and entertaining at a dinner party. To be a ornament that their husband could proudly display.

Any more than that was unnecessary.

With one last minimal smile he left the room, taking the drink and his laptop with him.

Once within his sanctuary, Kyouya began to relax again. He took a sip from the glass and then winced a little. The ice had melted, turning fine scotch into undrinkable swill. He placed the glass down and opened his laptop.

The document he had been working on was simply titled 'Fujioka.' In high school it had contained all the information he knew of Haruhi and Ranka-san, as well as some of his preferred photos from her middle and elementary school days. In the years of his dating Haruhi, it had been abandoned. Now it was being updated with information taken from a recent email.

Akida-kun was one of the best private detectives in Tokyo. Expensive, discrete and surprisingly loyal provided his fees were paid. Kyouya could not risk following Haruhi directly, but at the same time he had given up on the idea of a clean break. He should have known that it would be bullshit.

That didn't mean that he had to like what the report contained. On one hand he knew that she should be allowed to date whoever she wanted and that if she was going to dinner with some random guy from her class that it was none of his business. She had the right to be happy, just like everyone else. But on the other hand, fuck being rational.

She was his (had been, he was forced to correct himself) and the thought of someone else touching her made his insides burn in the most uncomfortable way. He tried his best to bury that feeling in work; and when that wasn't enough, alcohol.

Speaking of: he stood and used the liquid from his glass to water the _abutilon_ on his desk. He refilled it, pouring too much, and took a deep sip. Kamiko didn't want him smoking in the house, but he lit a cigarette anyway. This was his room, in his home if it came to that, and she could deal with it.

He sat down again, took one more look at his laptop, and then snapped it shut. He emptied half his scotch. He could only take so much.

**A/N: So you can see, thing are beginning to fall apart a little for our dear Kyouya. But fear not, this is called Up and Down for a reason and sometimes things need to get worse before they can get better.**

**Edit 04/09/2015: There was a plot inconsistency in this chapter that I have now fixed. I had forgotten that I have established Haruhi as still a student. Not a qualified lawyer.**


	5. Photograph

**A/N: This Chapter is dedicated to all my lovely reviewers. Especially to Neo Eodieseo Watneunji, who claims that this story has been tormenting them. This one was inspired by Secret by The Pierces. Things are going to get interesting from this point on, I really hope that you like it.**

Kamiko stood inside Kyouya's office. She had chosen mid-morning as the time for her little invasion since she could be certain that he would not surprise her by walking in.

She had no illusions that she was particularly intelligent. She had graduated high school with no more than passing grades. She was more interested in gossip and fashion than business meetings. But anyone who thought she was stupid had a lot to learn.

She knew how to make herself secure of what she wanted. Being the daughter of parents who substituted things for affection, some of her earliest lessons had been in obtaining what she desired, and with three sisters to compete with, she had soon learned how to keep whatever she had.

And what she wanted was the big society wedding, the ring on her finger and the assurance that came with the name 'Ootori.' But therein lay something of a problem.

That Kyouya was hiding something was obvious. He spent a great deal of time in this room and had made it too clear that she was not allowed inside. Whatever his secret was, she knew there would be some sign of it in here.

She would not allow secrets this early in the relationship. Once they were married, and things were settled, she really didn't care what happened. But things were too unstable at the moment, she could too easily lose. And that was not something she could accept.

Despite the unnecessity of it, Kamiko tiptoed around the room. She was thankful that the decoration was so minimalist, it made it easy to spot anything out of place. And considering how neat Kyouya was; out of place was exactly what she was looking for.

She went through, placing everything back exactly how she had left it. Nothing in the cupboards, nothing in the filing cabinet, nothing on top of his desk. All that was left were the drawers.

First one: nothing but stationary.

Second one: More papers, a quick flick through showed nothing but business documents. She replaced them with a huff.

Third one: She was about to open it when she heard the unmistakable sounds of footsteps outside.

She panicked, slamming the drawer shut and casting her eyes frantically for a place to hide. She settled on the standing cupboard against the wall which looked like it was meant to hold coats but which was currently empty.

As quickly as she could, she ducked into the little nook and shut the door behind her. She couldn't see anything due to the darkness of the room but she focused on calming her breathing as she heard the door opening.

She didn't know how long she was in there while the person on the other side (a maid judging by the sound of the vacuum cleaner) puttered around, but she probably offered more bargains to the universe in that little space of time that she had in all of the last year.

Eventually it came to nothing as the person left the room without looking in Kamiko's improvised hiding space. She let out a breath in relief and cracked the door, peeking to make sure that she really was alone.

The room was empty once again, and she made a beeline for the drawer that she had been interrupted on. She didn't know what she had been expecting to find. Maybe something linking Kyouya to the Yakuza, or a bank statement that showed him heavily in debt.

Whatever is had been, it was not a single photo frame lying face down. She lifted it with care, flipping it over. The photograph was of Kyouya, smiling in a way that she didn't think she had ever seen. It was still slight, but there was a sparkle in his eyes that was nothing like the glare of his glasses. He had his arm around a brunette woman with hair in a rather masculine style. Where had she seen that face before?

Then it hit her like a train going 200 km/h.

That sneaking little RAT!

It was that Fujioka bitch from the party. Kyouya was having an affair with that ugly little…

Her mind went off on that topic, applying many of the choicest epithets in her arsenal to the unsuspecting Haruhi (who sneezed out of nowhere in the middle of class and interrupted the lecturer).

**A/N: I know it was short, but the next bit really does need to be broken from this. I plan to start writing that bit immediately.**

**Edit 15/09/2015: Cleaned up some spelling mistakes. So sorry to all of my readers that they got in there**


	6. The Confrontation (part 1)

**A/N: I worked really hard to get this instalment out quickly. What was meant to be a random non-chronological collection of one-shots that I posted when I felt like it seems to have become an actual multiple chapter story. This is not something I am generally good at, but I'm going to try my best to give you guys a good story.**

Kamiko was angry, very angry. Something her sisters had learned long ago was that it was best not to piss her off; but that if you failed at that, your safest bet was to be as far away as possible until the storm had passed.

Not that you could always tell when that had happened. She did not throw temper tantrums in the way one might expect. She kept her rampage internal until the correct moment to strike. And then she would unleash it all. And heaven help you if you were the one on the receiving end.

The hardest part had been finding Fujioka-bitch's address. She did not have much of an online presence, which meant that finding the information had taken more than a quick Facebook search. But a week had passed and, although her anger had maybe lost a little of its original ferocity, it was burning hot like banked coals.

That was why she stood in an alcove on the seventh floor of an apartment block that had never been splendid and now looked downright shabby. What sort of self-respecting building had seven stories and no lift? From where she stood she could see Fujioka's door. But why was the woman taking so long to get here?

_¿?¿?¿?¿?_

Haruhi left the library later than usual. She felt good about herself though, a five thousand word essay done, checked and handed in and all of her readings done for tomorrow's lectures. She liked working in the library, with all of the sources directly at her fingertips. The internet was useful for the broad strokes, but when you wanted something specific, or obscure, it was much easier to work with the original.

Plus, she just liked the library. She liked the quiet, she liked the spaciousness and she liked the smell. She always got her best work done in that environment. Even if the search for it had once seriously upset her life.

She spent her metro ride home dreaming of the leftover teriyaki waiting in her fridge, spicy food always tasted better on the second day. She would make some rice, and wrap herself up in a blanket with some tea, her supper and a book. It was the little things that helped make life bearable, the small rewards for survival and industry.

It had not been an easy lesson to learn when she first came crashing down from her dizzy heights, but it was congruous with how her life was shaping up.

She had the key in the lock when her thoughts were interrupted by someone calling "Fujioka!'

She spun around, and immediately recognised the caller. 'Oh what can this woman want now?' she thought.

"Konbanwa, Miyamoto-san." Haruhi gave a slight bow, but not too low. She owed nothing.

"Don't give me that, you whore!" Kamiko wasted no time in launching her first verbal missile.

Haruhi was slightly taken aback, "E-excuse me?" She really did not like dealing with rich hysterics, she had gotten enough of that in high school to last her until old age.

"You heard me you filthy man-stealing bitch." Kamiko's voice was stained with disgust. "You're trying to…"

"Wait wait wait, slow down. Man-stealing?" Haruhi spoke incredulously. She couldn't quite wrap her head around the concept of _this_ woman accusing her of any such thing.

"You heard me, you're screwing him aren't you? You couldn't let him go. You just don't understand how these things work you dirty common sl…" _SNAP!_

Haruhi did not often lash out. She was the natural; she was kind and gentle and easy to get along with. Kamiko cradled her cheek, properly silenced for the first time.

"Don't you dare! I am so sick of people calling me that! I may not be rich but I am not common. And you have already won. So if all you want is to relieve your insecurities, then go somewhere else." Adrenalin and anger was having a strange effect on Haruhi, and she refused to break down in front of someone else.

She finished opening the door, and before Kamiko could come round from her shock. Haruhi had slipped inside. Not quite slamming the door behind her.

_¿?¿?¿?¿?_

Sadly, the dignity of her exit did not leave a lasting impression on Kamiko. Before Haruhi could even get properly settled down, the other woman started banging on the door with her fist, yelling abuse punctuated by demands for the door to be opened.

As irrational as it was, Haruhi was scared. She knew that Kamiko could do nothing. But she was stressed and tired and she did not have the energy to deal with this shit right now. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and hit the speed dial.

"Haruhi?" The calm voice answered.

"Hey Mori, sorry to bother you… Are you busy?"

"Mitsukuni is eating cake."

"Oh yeah, should have known. Sorry to have bothered you. Bye." There were tears in her voice.

"What do you need?" Even over the phone, Mori was observant. He must have heard the noise.

Haruhi tried to brush it off, she had been silly. This was her problem, no real need to have called him. "It's nothing. Don't worry." She was trying to convince herself as much as him. And during a particularly loud volley of thuds, she was grateful that he chose to ignore her.

"We will be there now. You are at home?"

"Yes, but you don't have to, I'm sorry I…"

"Stay there." Mori hung up.

Haruhi stared at the phone as it blinked the call-end image. There was another thump and she jumped. It sounded so much like thunder, she hated so much noise. She pulled a blanket off of the back of the couch and wrapped it around herself before burying her head in a cushion.

**A/N:** **Okay guys, now for the slightly bad news. I am going to try (mark that word) and get out one more update but after that there is going to be a fairly long break. In a couple of weeks I will be jetting off to the USA. I have never been there before and, although I will still try and write, I cannot promise anything as I will be busy and probably jet-lagged. **

**If I don't get out that update, I am sorry. But as I have a lot of stuff happening IRL right now. I may have to put writing on the back-burner for a little bit. Just have some patience, I would make it clear if I dropped this story.**


	7. Exit Stage Left

The Demon is Gone

**A/N: Another instalment before I leave for 'Merica. But I have no internet where I was staying, so I haven't been able to post this until now. Please review if you like it.**

With her head buried in the upholstery, Haruhi started to be able to block out the loud noise coming from her door. It really was just like thunder; it was loud and distressing but she could ignore it if she focussed really hard on something else.

At present it was the case studies and precedents that she needed to know for tomorrows classes.

It was such an efficient distraction that she only noticed the banging when it stopped. There were words spoken to quietly for her to make out their content. Mayimoto-san's response was easier to hear. Well, she would have needed to be deaf not to hear the woman's yelled recriminations. It was clear that someone (probably Mori, given the quiet tones) was trying to talk her down from her temper-tantrum.

Despite how embarrassed Haruhi was for her moment of weakness in calling him, she was very thankful that he had ignored her. She had had no idea how to make the woman stop and her neighbours would have enough to talk about as it was.

By the time the knock on her door sounded, she was composed enough to be sitting around. Although she still had the blanket wrapped around her in a bizarre parody of her original plans for the evening.

She wrapped the blanket around herself like a cape and went to open the door. On the other side was not just Mori but Huni too; she should have known he would come.

She looked past them, "Is she gone?"

"Yup," said Huni, "we couldn't convince her to stay and apologise." He made the face Haruhi normally associated with him running out of cake, irritated but still hopeful that everything would come right.

"That's really okay. Why don't you guys come in?" Haruhi stepped back and held the door wider.

_¿?¿?¿?¿?_

After enquiries as to health were made, and Huni was seated with a large slice of strawberry cake in front of him (Mori had declined), the topic of conversation naturally returned to what had just happened.

Huni had just stuck his fork into him mouth and was chewing away with a blissful expression, so it fell to Mori to bring the issue up. "What happened?"

Haruhi slumped slightly. Now that the immediate threat was gone, adrenalin was leaving her system. Its absence made her a little tired. "Your guess is as good as mine. She just showed up here and started accusing me…"

"Of trying to steal Kyouya. We know Haru-chan, she said so several times." Huni spoke around another chunk of cake.

Mori, seated in the armchair across from the couch that contained Haruhi and Huni, fixed her with his steady gaze and addressed the elephant in the room with two words: "are you?"

"No!" Haruhi was adamant. "I haven't seen him since that stupid reunion Tamaki put on. True she had told no one how much she had seen of him. She had been avoiding all thought of Kyouya since then. She didn't need that in her life.

Perhaps… Had he told Miyamoto-san about the kiss? Maybe he had made it seem like Haruhi had started it. If that was the case, then he was even more of a bastard than she had realise and she was glad to be rid of him ('keep telling yourself that' a malicious part of her mind whispered very quietly).

"I really don't know what made Miyamoto-san do any of that." Well it was enough of the truth, and no way in hell was she telling them of her suspicion.

"Mm," Mori said in a non-committal tone. Huni was re-engaged with his cake.

The conversation then turned to more general matters. How were Haruhi's classes? Fine. Where Mori and Huni's students doing well? Some of them. Did it look like any of them would do well in nationals? Huni pulled a slight face as if he had tasted something bitter, Mori explained that there was one who might do well in kendo, but that they were a lacklustre bunch in general.

Huni had just finished his second piece of cake (he would be very sad to learn that that was the last of it) when he suddenly spoke in a serious voice. "Did you notice that mark on Miyamoto-san's cheek Takashi? Do you think we need to have a talk with Kyouya about the proper way to treat a lady?"

"Ah," was Mori's response with a faint nod.

Haruhi quickly jumped to intervene. "You don't need to do that guys. It wasn't Kyouya's fault.

Huni got the complete wrong end of the stick. "Are you defending him Haru-chan? I know that she upset you but still, there is no excuse for domestic vi…"

"That's not what I mean." she cut him off, "I mean that it wasn't his fault because, well because it was mine." Her voice grew small towards the end.

"Yours? What the hell did you do that makes it your fault?" Huni was starting to get worked up and he still didn't seem to understand. It seemed that Haruhi would need to come completely clean to protect Kyouya from the combined wrath of these to. The things we will do for a friend ('Yes! Friend!' she told herself firmly, to shut down any potential for malicious mental mutterings).

"I was the one who slapped her, not Kyouya. That would be beneath even him." They both stared at her in incredulity for a beat and then Mori cracked the faintest of smiles and Huni burst into loud guffaws.

"You did? Oh hahaha, why did you haha do that? She must be at least a foot taller than ahaha than you!"

Haruhi was piqued, "I was angry, okay. She said I was common!"

That shut Huni up immediately. His face flashed annoyance before the smile returned. "Oh Haru-chan," he slipped an arm around her shoulder, "you're not common. Don't listen to her."

"Ah," said Mori.

That didn't seem to cheer Haruhi up at all. She was still sitting stiffly under the arm. He thought maybe Ursa-chan might cheer her up, but then remembered that he had left his bunny home to keep it safe.

Then he had an idea, possibly the best one of all. "Haru-chan, do you have plans for supper?"

She slumped, "Um, not really. I was going to eat left-overs."

"Well you do now, Takashi and I are going to take you out. I know this amazing little deli place." He was looking pointedly at Mori as he said this; as if trying to say 'play along, she needs this.'

Mori fell into step effortlessly, even though he had technically eaten already. "Yes, come with us." He said, smiling slightly at Haruhi.

**A/N: So things are picking up now. Or at least I think they are. While writing this I had an idea for how everything is going to end. And it will be Haruhi/Kyouya, for those of you who have expressed worry that it would not be.**

**Please review. Reviews make me into a happy person and increase my desire to write the next chapter.**


	8. Much Ado About Something

Much Ado About Something

**A/N: A second instalment in one night now you know I love you. I hope this will keep you entertained until I return from my great trek. This takes place after Photograph. I really hope that you enjoy it, and please review.**

**Disclaimer: I thought maybe I should refresh you memories and state that I do not own OHSHC. I wish I did own it, or at least that I could make money from writing this. If that were the case I wouldn't be smoking such shitty cigarettes at the moment. Sob, c'est la vie. **

As soon as Kyouya retreated to his office that evening he knew that something was wrong. It was the cupboard that first tipped him off, the door was hanging slightly open. He hated doors that swung of their own accord, it never failed to distract him. As a result he had had special tight-fitting catches fitted so that when he shut the door, it stayed bloody well shut.

Was the mechanism getting loose? No, he tested it with his finger and found that it was sound. He shut the door and paused to think. Someone had been in his personal room. It may just have been a maid, of course, and that would have been fine.

But what if it had not been? He had duplicates of some very important documents in this room. Things he needed for the work he was doing for his father. He would catch no end of shit if these was a leak and it was traced to his carelessness.

With a sort of calm panic he began to search the room. He checked the filing cabinet first but nothing was out of place there (he reminded himself to get locks fitted to the drawers tomorrow, just to be safe). Next he checked the second drawer of his desk; that was where the most current documents were stored, everything was as he left it.

He allowed himself to breathe easy as he shut the drawer. Then his eye picked up something that he had not noticed in his initial frantic searching. He always closed drawers completely and carefully, he hated for anything to be less than perfectly neat, but the third drawer was ever so slightly open. As if it had been closed in a hurry.

He would later swear that his hand had not been slightly as he pulled it open. Inside was the frame, as it should be, except that it was out of place. Out of paranoia that it would be found, he always lined it up exactly with the corner of the drawer. That way if it was moved he would know immediately and could predict accordingly.

This time it was tilted. Someone had found it and placed it back hoping that he wouldn't notice. But they had done so carelessly and the once Shadow King noticed everything.

He pulled out his laptop and set it on the desk, waiting for it to fire up. The first thing he did was to change his password. If it had been a spy that got into his office they may be able to guess from that photo that his password was 'Haruhi,' or more accurately 'H RuH1.' It was a long shot, but one that he would not take his chances on.

The second was to open up a new document and start making a list of the people that might have seen his most prized, and secret, possession. He also began to plan countermeasures.

If it had been a spy, they may try to blackmail him, or they may threaten Haruhi to get to him (something he absolutely could not allow). Maybe he could assign her a bodyguard if anything like that became apparent.

If it was one of the maids, he could probably intimidate or bribe them into silence.

He knew he could not rule out Kamiko. She was not above subversion, he knew. If it was her, well fuck there wasn't really anything he could do to circumvent her. She seemed to have been pretty sheltered during the majority of her adolescence, so there were no real discretions that he could threaten her with.

He could break up with her as a preventative measure, but then there would be nothing to stop her from dragging his name, and consequently Haruhi's, through the mud. The first part he could recover from. But he had already hurt Haruhi enough and he couldn't bear to throw her under the bus just to save himself.

What on earth was he going to do?

**A/N: Short little thing I know, but it kind of gets its job done and I didn't want to pad it for length at risk of its meaning. I hope that you like it, please do drop me a review. **

**On another topic, since this Universe is kind of being expanded as things come to me (i.e. I do not have an iron clad plot, it's rather flexible really), if you have any ideas for scenes or things that you would be interested in seeing, why not put them in the review and I will see if I can work them in. Naturally I will credit the person if I make use of the idea.**

**Even if I do not use it for this story, I might take it as a prompt for a bonus oneshot. You never know.**


	9. The Morning After

**A/N: Gees, I suck for keeping everyone hanging for so long. I hope you haven't all given up on me. The truth is I have been sick, I don't know what with yet, only that I am miserable and have trouble sleeping. So guess what, you guys get another instalment. Yay. (I totally heard that in my head the way Crispin Freeman said it in the first episode of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumia. Haha). Not that I am unhappy to be writing for you guys (quite the contrary), it's just that it is 4am and I would prefer to be asleep right now.**

**Enough rambling! On to the main event!**

**Disclaimer: Pulls out wallet from pocket, looks inside. Nope, it still only contains a left-over one dollar bill, my lucky coin and a button. I guess that means I still am not receiving money from writing this fic. The only other thing in my pockets is my dice bag and half a pack of cigarettes, no sign of the rights to OHSHC. Sob.**

Neither Kyouya nor Kamiko were the type to partake of a real breakfast. Kyouya (black coffee, a touch of chicory to lift it first thing after waking) was just beginning to get started, after spending most of the night monitoring the American and European markets. Technically Kamiko was having lunch, not that you would be able to tell. She was on a raw juice diet at present and no one meal was distinguishable from any of the others.

Kyouya, who had become a remarkable early waker (well, 9am) when he had Haruhi to wake up next to, had slipped straight back into old habits of late. The first time that Kamiko had stayed the night in his bed, rather than returning to the guest room, she had woken him by getting dressed far too loudly (according to the Low Blood Pressure Demon Lord).

She had not made the same mistake again.

Kamiko took a sip of her juice. "Kyouya," she said in a voice that sounded far more wheedling than she had intended, "can I get some money?"

Kyouya said nothing, did not even look up from the newspaper, just raised one eyebrow in a way that dared her to continue.

"Have you forgotten, there is that Japan Foundation Center Gala tomorrow? I need money for a dress."

"And why must I pay for this? You have your own money." Kyouya had not changed, he still only spent money if he could achieve a return on investment. He could not foresee such a thing from Kamiko owning yet another designer dress.

"Because I am your guest at the party tonight. If I don't look my best it will reflect badly on you." Flirting hadn't worked, so she went with a veiled threat against the only thing she knew to really touch him: his reputation.

With a faint sigh through his nose Kyouya reached into the pocket of his blazer and pulled out his wallet. Retrieving his platinum AmEx from it, he stretched and placed it in front of her. "It is not a party, it is a prize giving. You know the rule, I will be checking the… What happened to your cheek?" He had finally looked up from his paper and caught sight of the mark on the side of her face.

It was a little red, a little puffy, and there were streaks of purple just becoming visible along her jawline. She had tried to cover it up with makeup, and had done a pretty decent job. But the Shadow King noticed everything. What a surprise.

There was no way in hell that Kamiko was going to admit that a tiny commoner with a mean backhand had marred her appearance. And she didn't want Kyouya to know that she was jealous of his ex, so she fell back on the lie she had practiced in front of the mirror. "The heel of one of my shoes broke, I hit my face against the wall when I fell.

Kyouya's expression did not change as he placed a hand on her chin. He tilted her face so that he could get a better look. "You should have put ice on it immediately. It won't do for people to think that I did that to you. You will need a more effective concealer for tonight." His voice was deadpan as he let her go and returned to his paper.

**Okay, so it has been over three weeks since I started that. The reason being that not long after I started this chapter it was determined what was wrong with me and I was admitted to yet another psychiatric hospital. Having been in and out of real hospital while they tried to look for a psychical cause for my psychosis. Life has not been good to me recently. On the plus side I am working on the next installment and hope to have it up by tomorrow at the latest to make it up to you guys for the unbelievable wait.**


	10. The Ceremony

**Having just posted all the stuff in the last chapter I don't really have anything else to say except that I own nothing but Kamiko, and even then not all the time.**

It is well known amongst the very rich that having a good public image is far more effective than trying to fight a bad one. It is also generally understood that the best way to gain and maintain such a thing is to be seen helping those who are less fortunate but considered to be deserving.

This can be achieved by contributing to charities, altering employment strategies to favour commoners (at least on paper) or establishing a scholarship fund. There are other ways but those three offered the highest reward for the least trouble. But the most important factor is to be _seen_ to be doing something. That was why all three Ootori sons and their partners had to be present for their father awarding scholarships for Tokyo University.

Yoshio was one of their biggest contributors and so it only made sense for him to be asked to do this. And he was always on the lookout for positive press and so it was natural that he would accept.

* * *

Haruhi entered the atrium next to Mori. She was certain that she could have asked any one of the former hosts (with the obvious exception), or even someone from her classes, but she felt comfortable next to the stoic man. She could be certain that he, at least, would not do anything to embarrass her.

It had sort of been last minute. She had utterly forgotten that Kyouya had pressured her to apply for this Law Scholarship, and it wasn't until a week ago when she had received an invitation to this event that she had remembered it.

She was even more surprised that she had been awarded it, as generous as it was. Kyouya had told her, in a circumspect manner, that his father had pull with the committee and that the Ootori Zaibatsu always employed people who had received this scholarship for their legal team. She was certain that Yoshio Ootori would have exerted his influence to distance his family from her. Maybe the decision had been made before Kyouya had left her?

When they walked into the main room, she kept her eyes fixed ahead, determined not to see the person that she knew would be there.

* * *

Kyouya, standing last in the line of his siblings (his perpetual position as the youngest) had just finished shaking hands with yet another professor from the university. They could always be detected in a crowd like this because of their slightly shabby, two-season-behind suits and their general look of discomfort with the rich surrounding. Well, either discomfort or a particular brand of acquisitiveness only seen in those who have climbed into opulence rather than been born to it.

Takumi Nobu, head of the English linguistics department, if Kyouya remembered the face book he had studied earlier. Not a bad man all told, but clean, honest and valueless to them. After a few pleasantries and a shadow-king smile, Kyouya looked up and fixed eyes with Haruhi.

She had clearly been trying not to look at anything, a harder feat than one might think, and the eye contact had been entirely accidental. But that did not stop her from quickly turning to her tall partner with every show of attention.

Since her partner was Mori, Kyouya somehow doubted that it was something he had said. He smiled a secret and far more genuine smile and both hoped and dreaded that Kamiko would see Haruhi. This was going to be very interesting.

Several minutes had passed before his sister's voice pierced his concentration. "Kyou-chan, isn't that your friend Morinozuka from high school. And with Haru-chan too. You must be a gentleman and go say hi to them."

Were it not for the evidence to the contrary, Kyouya could have sworn that Fuyumi had been secretly adopted out of the Shou family. She was oblivious enough for it. Either that or she really was a pure-blooded Ootori and this was her way of punishing him for some sin he was unaware of her discovering.

"I am not sure that I should leave the line just yet." Okay, yes, it was a cheap tactic for buying time. He knew that he would eventually have to greet the people that the world thought of as a close school friend and an amicable ex-girlfriend. Rather than a distant friend at best and a secret obsession who had been shafted in exchange for the Vera Wang clad woman speaking to a wealthy alumnus just out of earshot. Thank whatever gods were still willing to listen to him.

"Of course you should." She disengaged one are from her husbands and gave him a 'gentle' push on the back.

* * *

By this time Haruhi's eyes had irreversibly located Kyouya, and so she saw him leave the queue he had been standing in. When it became clear that he was walking in her direction, she turned to Mori and muttered something vague about 'going to check the food' and 'wait for me here' and fled.

The rest of the night was something of a cat and mouse game. With Kyouya, finally giving up, following her from place to place and her staying just out of his reach. Usually she did this by talking to even the most remote of acquaintances or, at one time, by literally hiding under the stairs until he had given up on spotting her and returned to the hall.

Kamiko saw all of this and it made her seethe in a quiet way. Clearly the Fujioka-bitch had not learned to keep away before.

**I am on a role, so I am going to start working on the next chapter. Maybe you will get three tonight you lucky people.**


	11. Direct

**Things are beginning to heat up and I am taking advantage of the side effects of my meds and a full pack of cigarettes (can't have alcohol atm, so sadly no wine to make me feel like a real writer) to get a third chapter out in one night. I hope this makes up for nearly a six month hiatus. If you guys still love me say so in a review.**

It was a Sunday and Kyouya was hard at work. It was true what they said about there being no rest for the wicked; what should have been a day off never was for the youngest Ootori. He was in the middle of a break even analysis when he was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.

It was not his father. The man would never stoop so low as to visit the office of an underling so it could be only one other person. "What?" he called out in an irritated voice. A little bit of his annoyance was at the interruption, but most of it was because she should not have been able to get past either security or his secretary. He would need to find the weak spot and patch it up later.

The door opened slowly and herself entered. Kamiko was putting up a remarkable show of self-control but Kyouya knew her too well not to spot the whiteness of her knuckles as she gripped the door handle.

Kamiko had spent a week planning how she was going to bring this up, but she had seen almost nothing of her fiancée in that time and she was beginning to lose her control as she felt herself losing him. She was under no allusions of love but the thought of giving up such an advantageous match to a filthy commoner was beginning to affect her beauty sleep. This needed to be finally put to an end.

She lost her calm while fighting with that stupid PA and so she had none left to lead up to her question. She shut the door, reached into her bag and pulled out the photograph in its silver frame. The image was the one that had given her the first idea of infidelity.

"Kyouya. Are you sleeping with her?" She brandished the picture of him a Haruhi right in his face.

Kyouya almost laughed. "Her name is Haruhi, and we have never had sex." It was an intentional half answer. Kamiko knew it.

"But you are seeing her behind my back, admit it." Her voice was rising into hysteria. Kyouya expected that this was what happened whenever a spoiled brat felt she wasn't getting her way.

"She has far too much honour for that."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean you bastard?"

His voice was still completely calm. "It means that she turned me down." His slight sad smile was missed by his fiancé.

"The great Kyouya Ooroti turned down by a cheap whore who knows her place!" She mocked him. Kamiko did not seem to realise that her stock was dropping lower and lower with every word she spoke. Nor that his hand was reaching towards the little button wired under his desk. It was all he could do not to hit her to shut her up. He would never hit another person. He was not his father.

"Leave now. Before you embarrass yourself further."

"Oh yes? And what is the great Kyouya Ootori going to do to make me?"

"You haven't the first idea of what I can do." His voice was dead with menace, a strong contrast to her own.

"Well, you wouldn't dare. I'll tell your father everything. Ruin your chances of inheriting." Kyouya had never before realised just how ugly her face could become when it was all twisted with vindictive rage like it was now.

"I think I can afford to take that chance." He said just as the door opened again and two heavily muscled security guards entered one after the other. These were two of the same men that Huni and Mori had once helped him defeat.

[br]

Kamiko refused to leave quietly but soon found that she was no match for the two men who were little more than thugs with a uniform. She was dragged physically from the room. Screaming the whole way and dropping the photo frame. The plush carpet was the only thing that kept it from breaking.

Kyouya picked it up and studied it for a second. Then he placed it back on his desk in the place of pride it used to occupy. He picked up the phone and pressed #9, "Tachibana? I need you to organise something for me.

**I am going to keep writing, but this is all you are getting for tonight. I hope three chapters makes my absence up to you guys.**


	12. Ootori Law

**So it seems that now I can't stop writing this. Just a couple of chapters till the end. I would still appreciate lots of reviews but I am going to try and push through to the end. **

**Disclaimer: I am writing this because of obsession and do not own anything that is recognisable from cannon.**

When Kamiko arrived home, it was to a bustle in her bedroom. She would have told every maid to get out if she had not been pushed over the edge of outrage and into silent awe by what was happening.

Burberry coats, Dior and Versace dresses, Louis Vuitton bags and every single one of her Chanel pieces were being carefully folded and packed into suitcases. She pulled on the arm of the nearest maid. "What is happening?"

"We don't know ma'am. Tachibana-kun just told us that the master had ordered all your things packed."

Kamiko was filled with joy. Maybe Kyouya felt bad for their little spat and was planning a wardrobe overhaul for her to apologise. Or maybe an extended vacation in New York. Fashion week was coming up after all.

She pulled her cell phone out of her bag. She must do her part after all. The phone rang three times before Kyouya picked up. Kamiko was all excitement.

"Where are we going?"

"Why hello Hashimoto-san." His voice was as blank as earlier. The formal name threw her a little but didn't stop her.

"Why didn't you tell me what you were planning?"

"So I take it you have seen the packing."

"Yes of course, you silly boy. Was it just a spur of the moment plan?"

"I would have though you would know well enough by now that I never do anything on the 'spur of the moment'." There was just the slightest trace of sarcasm. She wasn't getting it. "I expect you out by the time I arrive home. You can keep the ring, I don't want it"

The bomb dropped.

"I… I don't understand what you mean."

"I didn't think you were that stupid. I am saying that it is over. I never want to see you again."

"You can't do this! I will ruin you!"

"I'd like to see you try." He hung up.

She stared at the phone in outrage for a moment while the bustle continued around her. Then she flipped through her contact list and hit dial on another number.

This one range for longer before there was a beep and the coolly professional voice message started. 'You have reached the voice mail of Yoshio Ootori. I am unable to take your call at present but leave your name and number and I will get back to you as soon as possible.'

"Kyouya's gone insane! This is Kamiko. He says he wants me out and that the engagement is over!" She spoke with hysteria. "I can't talk sense into him. I need you to do it."

* * *

Kyouya was just wrapping up some paperwork for his pet project when his computer buzzed to indicate a new email. It was from his father.

_You do not have my permission to break off the engagement with Hashimoto-san. I insist that you correct this immediately._

This was his father's preferred way of communicating when he was too angry for words. In the past he might have struck Kyouya but now Kyouya held something over his father and it was time to reveal his hand. His only response to his father was to say that he was withdrawing control of his majority stocks in the Ootori Zaibatsu and would be selling them on the open market to generate funds for a new venture. Ootori Law.

The Ootori Zaibatsu had caused him nothing but headaches. It could go hang.


	13. Pitch and Toss

**A/N:** **Hey guys, you did it again. I have always said I would never hold a story to ransom until I got reviews, but I put up four chapters in two days and didn't get a single review. I know people saw the chapters but not one of you thought to give me any feedback. Anyway… on to the next chapter.**

Perhaps it was breaking it off with Kamiko, or telling his father to go fuck himself, or a little bit of both, but Kyouya was feeling strangely free right now. Maybe it was that he had realised that he COULD break off the engagement and knock his father down into his proper place.

But the point of the matter was that he was at liberty to put his little pet project into action. He made sure he had everything he would need saved on his laptop before shutting it and packing it away with a show of far more self-control than he felt. Then he called up for his driver and waited for the car to be pulled around to the front.

Once he was in the car, had given the address and was driving through the streets of Tokyo, he placed his head back and tried to relax… tried.

He was unconsciously running his hands through his hair, mussing it out of its usual perfect neatness. His breath was getting tight so he loosened his tie. His posture pulled his shirt slightly loose. All this meant that when he got out of the car he looked like a tired salaryman. Coming home to dinner, television and an argument with the wife.

Well, on that last topic, he thought with a wry mental tone as he climbed the numerous flights of stairs. He knocked on the door repeatedly but there was no answer and so he sat down in the doorway to wait.

* * *

Weekends have three traditions for students. Sleeping late, drinking heavily and dating. Haruhi never slept late, she studied better in the mornings. She didn't drink much, she didn't like the feeling. But she had been strong-armed into a date.

She had known Kizaru in middle school, he was one of her many confessors according to him. But he had gone on to the local high school while she had gone to Ouran and had pretty much lost contact with her middle school acquaintances.

Apparently he was also studying law and, when he had heard through the grapevine that she was single again, he had worked up the courage to ask her to a movie. The lunch before that had been decent, but the movie was some boring action flick and, in the darkness of the theatre he had tried to get grope-y. In short, Haruhi was not in the best of moods. Kizaru had wanted to 'walk her to her door' but she had used the stairs to dissuade him and it was with a heavy trudge that she made her way to her apartment.

At least he had respected the lectures the next morning and not kept her out too late. Haruhi was thankful for small… "What are you doing here?"

She had just caught sight of a less than immaculate looking person sitting in front of her door. It was Kyouya of all people. Probably the person she least wanted to see.

Kyouya smiled crookedly, she was as blunt as ever. "I have something to say to you."

Haruhi sighed through her nose. She was already not in the best of moods. "Well. Speak."

He stood with his briefcase. "It would be better if this was done inside."

"Yeah well no fine." Haruhi replied in exasperation. She elbowed past him and unlocked the door, indicating that he should go in first; which he did.

"Now speak."

"I have a proporsition for you."

"Not interested." And then remembering some of her manners she said, "would you like some tea?"

"Do you have coffee?"

"Nope."

"Then tea would be lovely, thank you."

Haruhi set about making it in the small kitchenette, making far more noise than was necessary as she clattered with cups and kettle. Kyouya watched her with that same small smile.

"Are you ever going to get to the point as to why you are here on a Sunday evening? I would have thought you had better things to do" That last bitter comment was aimed at how he was so often too busy to spend time with her. Something he now deeply regretted. Back then he had thought that they would have forever for him to make up for it.

"That is why I am here. I am starting a new business."

"That's nice, I don't care." She shoved the hot teacup into his empty hand. He did not flinch.

"That would be a pity. I will be starting a law firm and wanted to invite you to be partner once you have graduated." Haruhi paused for a moment. It was a massive opportunity.

"There is one condition though."

"Isn't there always. I know you better than you think Kyouya." The bitterness had left her voice but not the sharpness.

"For obvious reasons will be called Ootori Law. So you can only be a partner if that is your surname too."

"What? Are you offering to adopt me? Whatever would Miyamoto-san think?" She was positively dripping with sarcasm.

Now was the make or break moment. "That isn't what I had in mind, no."

"So what then, long lost cousin?"

She didn't seem to be understanding him. "Well, you see, I um…" Kyouya coughed, Ootori's didn't mince words, "I have left Kamiko. Kicked her out. It was a bad idea to get engaged to her, I know that now."

"I could have told you that. But what about pleasing your father or the stockholders or whatever the hell else you said." And that was when Kyouya had his epiphany. Haruhi didn't hate him, she was hurt and she was angry, but that was all. And that was something he could work with.

"I came to my senses. I am selling my shares. They can get stuffed and I want to marry you. Not her, you." He reached a hand out for her cheek, longing to feel her peaches and cream skin. He got slapped away.

"You come here. Invade my house, talk about business and now you want to marry me?" Her temper was rising. "Get out."

"But…"

"I said OUT!"

He turned away, shoulders very stiff to keep them from shaking and his grey eyes like ice. He put down the still untouched tea and left the flat without saying anything more. But that did not mean that he couldn't almost feel the cracks forming in his heart.

He had risked it all on one throw of the dice and had failed.

**One more chapter, and maybe an epilogue if I get reviews asking for one. Hope you guys enjoy this as it gets to the end. The title is inspire by the poem ****If****, you should check it out if you haven't.**


	14. Bring Bring

**A/N: hey guys. Still no reviews except one anonymous one asking for more. Is it really too much to ask for you to hit that review button. I have been going through hell lately and would appreciate some love from my readers.**

Bring bring. Bring bring. Bring bring.

"Ohaya Fuyumi-neesan"

"KYO-CHAN! What have you done?!"

Kyouya held the phone slightly away from his ear. The idea that his sister was an adopted Shou floated its way through his head again.

"I would have thought you would be happy for me nee-san." He kept his voice calm despite the fact that his stomach was twisting in a most un-Ootori-like way. He had banked on Fuyumi being his only ally within the family. Her contempt for Kamiko had been well masked but present.

He didn't need this shit right at this moment. He gripped the phone between his ear and his shoulder so that he could fumble for his cigarettes and lighter.

"How can I be happy for you?" her voice rose to a pitch that one might expect would be inaudible to human ears.

"Because I finally came to my senses."

"Bu-but I got an email from father saying that you had gone mad and I must talk some sense into you."

"You know how he likes to hyperbolise nee-san. The truth of the matter is that I have left Kamiko and am selling my shares in the company. That is all."

Fuyumi did a double take on the other side of the line. "Kyo-chan. Are you telling me the truth?"

"Absolutely one hundred percent."

"Is this because of Haru-chan?"

His stomach did another flip. "I am not prepared to say. Call you later nee-san, bye." He hung up before she could say anything else. The truth was that everything was about Haruhi. He had finally realised that a life as the head of the Ootori family was worth jack shit if she was not its matriarch beside him.

When happiness was the stake on one more throw of the dice, he proved to be a gambling man.

* * *

Bring bring. Bring bring. Bring bring.

"Kyo-chan," Huni mumbled around a mouthful of cake. "What can I do you for?"

"Huni, I need a favour."

"I don't trust when you say that Kyo-chan. You know that." He took another mouthful of cake "And neither does Usa-chan." He added as an afterthought.

Kyouya didn't care what Huni though the pink stuffed rabbit thought, but he wasn't going to say that.

"It's just a small favour. And I will send you to Pierre Hermé. Shopping spee." Oh please oh please, he ran his fingers through his hair again.

Huni made a squirming noise on the other side of the phone. He was torn between letting the shadow king have his way and giving up a shopping spree at the best pastry shop in Paris. "Okay, tell me what it is?" Apparently honey had made up his mind. Kyouya smiled a thin smile.

"Organise a dinner: You, me, Mori and Haruhi."

As much as Huni did not want to see Haruhi get hurt. And knew that Mori would castrate Kyouya if he did it again. He had, for some time, held his suspicions as to how the feelings of his two former club-mates lay. Who was he to get in the way of true love?


	15. Public Service Anouncement

Public Service announcement

Hey guys. This is not connected to my story. But I wanted to explain why the story went onto unexplained hiatus.

I suffer from quite a lot of mental illness. Dissociative Identity Disorder (yes, it does exist), Schitzoid Personality Disorder, depression and anxiety problems and psychosis. In fact I have spent more time in hospitals this year than out of them.

I recently had a psychotic episode and took a handful of schedule 5 (strong) sleeping pills. These would have killed me but for one of my alters who informed my fiancé. After that I was confined to a mental hospital for three months.

The thing is, I was not aware of what I was doing at the time. The best way I can explain it is it is like parts of my mind are falling away, leaving only pain and fear and the desire to end it all.

The response to this within my circle has been mixed. Some have been very supportive, but then there are those who think that guilt or verbal abuse are the way to go.

I have two messages to give.

If you suffer from a mental illness, don't give up. I know that the world is a scary place when not even your own mind is safe. But there is help out there.

If you know someone with a mental illness: Please please please try to remember that mental illness is a real thing. It is not something that is being made up and the person may 'just get over it.' Try your best to be supportive. Even if all you can manage is to be silent

That is all I wanted to say to you guys

Regards

Senile-felineS


	16. Date with Fate

**A/N: So guys, this is the last chapter… finally. I want to thank anyone who has read this far. This is the first multi-chap fic that I have ever finished and I am really proud of myself. I want to say thank you to all my lovely readers. I have another Kyo/Haru fic in the works. So look forward to that. **

**I especially want to thank everyone that has reviewed. It always makes me super happy when I see a new review. All my reviewers are awesome.**

**Disclaimer: For the last time, I DO NOT OWN OHSHC!**

Kyouya was sitting in the minimalist but comfortable living room in the apartment that Huni and Mori shared. The food at dinner had been very good, but that was all that could be said in its favour. Haruhi had sat as far from him as was possible at the small table, going so far as to move her place setting, and any attempt at conversation died in the heavy atmosphere.

Now the four of them were sitting silence. Huni and Mori were watching the other two, Kyouya was staring at Haruhi and Haruhi was staring out of the window. The tension was broken by Huni suddenly announcing that they needed cake. "Ne Takashi, don't we need cake. Come help me get it."

Mori rose silently and followed his tiny cousin out of the room. Kyouya blessed them both for giving him some time alone with Haruhi.

He cleared his throat. When she continued to ignore him he spoke, using the pet name he had always called her in privacy. "My love?"

She did not look around, but she did respond. "Don't call me that Kyouya." Her voice was deadpan.

He was not deterred. "You didn't let me finish the other night..."

"You said everything that you needed to. And I said that I wasn't interested. So why don't you run back to your _suitable_ fiancée?" She was still bitter, clearly.

Kyouya felt his heart sink a little closer to his stomach. "I also told you that I kicked her out." He said softly.

"So you left me for her, and now you want to leave her for me. It is tiring trying to keep up with you."

"But I never loved _her_." Like I loved you was implicit, and it hung between them.

She finally turned to face him. "I'm not convinced that you are even capable of love Kyouya. It's not business." She walked past him heading for the door but he grabbed her wrist. She tugged sharply but he was stronger than her.

"I know that you think that now, but I can assure you that it isn't true. I do love you, I just wish I had realised how much before I made such a stupid mistake."

"You are right, it was stupid. But you made it and now you have to live with it. Now let me go."

"Never again." He lifted her hand and was about to kiss it when she grabbed a handful of his hair with the free one. She pulled sharply, twisting as she did. The pain made him let her go and she did not look back as she left the room and the apartment. Ignoring the inquiries from the kitchen where the other two were drinking tea.

Kyouya slumped forward and dropped his head into his hands.

* * *

He did not even know why he was there. Sitting once again outside Haruhi's apartment. She had made it clear that she did not want to see him, that she wasn't interested, but he just wasn't ready to accept that he had failed.

This time he came without any of his shields. His laptop and briefcase had been left behind him. His business tonight was his heart. And hopefully hers too.

He stood when he heard footsteps come up the stairs. He was right in thinking that it was Haruhi. In the few moments between her tuning the corner and her seeing him he studied her. She looked tired. How he wished that he could hold her; wipe away that expression of exhaustion. But there was no way she would let him do that yet.

Her face cleared as soon as she saw him standing there. The tired look vanishing to be replaced by irritation. "I have no time for you now Kyouya. I have had one hell of a day and I don't want to deal with your shit."

"I know you feel like that. But I am asking you, please just give me a chance to explain." He hated begging like this, but these last couple of weeks had pretty much stripped him of his pretences at dignity.

She studied him. He looked drained and desperate. "One chance." was all she said as she opened the door.

He followed her in and then stood there, almost forgetting to take off his shoes. Part of him hadn't actually expected her to let him in, and every word he had planned on the way here fell away from his mind. She just stared at him, so close and yet so far away from him.

He took a deep breath and then started. "Haruhi, I know you don't want to see me, but I need to explain. If you still don't want to see me after that, I'll leave forever." Oh god, how he hope that that would not be the case. He didn't actually think he could keep that promise for very long.

She continued watched him in silence; he took this as permission to carry on. "I know I broke your heart, believe me I know. I was stupid and because of that I nearly destroyed both of us."

Haruhi was confused. "Both of us?"

He laughed hollowly, but took the opening. "Yes, both of us. Did you think you were the only one who was hurt? Cutting you off broke me. It was literally the stupidest thing I ever did."

"So then why did you do it?" A realisation was beginning to dawn on her. He was not inconstant, just an idiot. It painted everything in a new light.

"All I can say is that I had my priorities all screwed up. I believed that inheriting the companies was the most important thing. It took me time to realise that the price they were asking was just too damn high.

"And why should I believe you? You have said you loved me before."

Hope flickered to life in his chest. If she wasn't willing to hear him out, he knew she would have kicked him out already. A little bit of the ice that had built up around her heart was beginning to melt. "It was never a lie. I never stopped loving you. I was so wrong to think that I could live without you, and I know I don't deserve a second chance but I am not too proud to beg for one anyway. I'm willing to spend the rest of my life trying to earn it if that is what it takes"

Indeed he did not look proud at this moment. All Haruhi could see in his face and posture was utter dejection. He looked more broken than she had ever seen him before. He really seemed genuine. She made her decision.

"You know, I may live to regret this, but would you like to stay for supper?"

His eyes lit up like a kid on their birthday. "What are you eating?"

"Leftovers."

"I would love that."

~END~

**A/N:** **So that is the end. I hope you enjoyed it. I didn't want to end with a kiss or something cheesy like that. I felt that they are both adults and trust needs to be re-established before hearts can be given again.**


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